Police arrest suspects in Ogun phone market robbery

Twenty-four days after hoodlums attacked a popular phone market, Tarmac, in Abeokuta, the police said three suspects have been taken into custody over the incident.

The miscreants had on 12th April attacked the facility, shot dead a trader, destroyed properties and stole phones and laptops.

However, some witnesses said they were members of a cult gang chasing a member of a rival gang.

The shot trader was identified as Dayo Bankole.

The police said the suspects, Ajayi Kayode, Habeeb Idowu and Temitayo Oresanya were arrested in the Abule Ake area of Kemta in the state capital.

In a statement he issued on Sunday, the police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said they were arrested on a tip-off to the Kemta divisional headquarters.

Mr Oyeyemi said two of the suspects have confessed their participation in the incident, while the third, Mr Oresanya, who confirmed to be a member of the same cult group with them, claimed that he didn’t participate in the operation.

“The suspects, Ajayi Kayode, Habeeb Idowu, and Temitayo Oresanya were arrested, following information received by policemen attached to Kemta divisional headquarters that the suspects have been hibernating at Abule Ake area of Kemta for quite some time now to evade Police arrest.

“Upon the information, the DPO Kemta division, CSP Adeniyi Adekunle, mobilized his men and moved to the scene where the three suspects were apprehended.

“Two of the suspects have confessed their participation in the robbery incident, while the third one Temitayo Oresanya, though affirmed to be a member of the same cult group with them, claimed that he didn’t participate in the robbery.

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“He stated further that Ajayi Kayode and Habeeb Idowu came to his house at Abule Ake to hide from the police after the robbery incident.”

The Commissioner of Police, Olanrewaju Oladimeji, commended members of the public for giving useful information to the police.

He ordered the transfer of the suspects to the State Criminal Investigation Departments (CIID) for discreet investigation.

He also ordered a manhunt for the remaining members of the gang.